


something rich and strange

by happyendingexo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Demons, Domestic, Fluff and Angst, HEA_2017, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 13:44:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13835979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happyendingexo/pseuds/happyendingexo
Summary: Most sane people would blanch at the prospect of living with a demon. Jongdae, however, is not a sane person.





	something rich and strange

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt #193**
> 
> **Disclaimer:** The is a work of fiction. The names and images of the celebrities mentioned are borrowed and is not meant to represent the celebrities themselves. All original characters and plot belong to the author and is not to be reproduced and/or shared without written permission from the author. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> **Author's Note:** Listen....the prompter asked for awkward!demon but it turned into really soft yeol instead because I couldn't help myself. Most demon!aus I've read don't feature wings, however I'm hooked on Amy Brown and I wanted to incorporate that. Chanyeol's wings are inspired by the wings from her painting Dragon Daughter II, and the title is also one of her works (although completely unrelated to the story). Big shout out to the mods for being so understanding. I hope the prompter enjoys, even if it's not what they had in mind. Thank you!

Really, it’s just Jongdae’s luck that he gets laid off in the exact same week that his rent drastically increases. Things had been going so well at the restaurant, so when he’d been called in to speak with the manager at the end of his shift, he didn’t think much of it. What a plot twist.

            When he gets back to his apartment, Jongdae doesn’t want to even look at his mail. He knows what’s lying amongst the stack, something that he’s been putting off as long as possible, something that will most likely trigger the breakdown he’s _this_ close to having. Still, he has to face it sometime, so he fishes out his rent and heads into his room. If he’s going to have a breakdown, he’d really rather have it in the comfort of his bed.

            He opens it at his desk, and...wow. Jongdae had been expecting the increase (despite the complex being full of struggling college students- really, what had the landlord been thinking?) but hadn’t been prepared for his rent to practically _double_. He’d barely been able to pay the previous price. There’s no way in hell he can afford it now, especially after losing his job.

            With a loud whine, Jongdae throws the letter across the room, where it disappears under his bed. He doesn’t want to adult at the moment. He’s going to give himself a few moments to calm down, maybe even stomp his feet a little, and then he’s going to retrieve the letter and be a Responsible Adult™.

            The shadowlike hand emerging from under his bed thwarts his plan. Jongdae lets out a very unmanly scream, one that his friends would tease him about if they heard, and stumbles backwards.

            “WHAT THE FUCK?”

            There’s no response. The hands pushes the bill back out, along with a crumpled wad of cash, ands slips back under the bed.

            Jongdae’s frozen by his desk. For a split second he thinks that maybe, just maybe, he imagined it. He closes his eyes and pinches himself, but when he opens them the bill and money are still on the floor, and light scratch marks from the freakishly long nails.

            He’s shaking when he works up enough courage to go to his bed. He hastily grabs the bill and money from the floor, briefly entertains the thought of looking under his bed, before he hightails it out of his room and closes the door.

            Jongdae decides to sleep on the couch that night.

 

            He lasts a week.

            Jongdae’s terrified of...whatever’s lurking under his bed, sure, but he can only handle so much curiosity. Plus, it paid his rent, and provided more than enough cash for the next two months. He may be scared shitless, but he isn’t some rude asshole. His mother raised him right, and she would throw a fit if he didn’t say thank you.

            (Also, his back hurts. He may not be large like Sehun or Jongin, but he’s still too big to sleep on the small ass couch.)

            Armed with a flashlight and a chocolate bar, Jongdae takes a peek under his bed. He doesn’t see anything, but then again, he figures if the thing under his bed doesn’t want to be seen, it won’t be seen. He’s close to chickening out, but he steels himself, clicks off the flashlight, and starts running his mouth.

            “Umm,” He’s off to a great start. _Good job, Jongdae_ , “So, like, I haven’t believed in monsters under my bed in forever, and I feel a bit ridiculous doing this, to be completely honest. I’d like to say thank you? Uhh, I really appreciate the money, you kinda saved me from having a complete breakdown.” By causing a different, potentially larger breakdown instead, but whatever.

Jongdae fumbles to pull the chocolate out of his pocket. He’s nervous sliding it under the bed, retracting his hand as soon as possible. “I don’t have much to repay you with, but here’s some chocolate. Enjoy.” He pauses, “Please don’t grab my feet tonight. I’m reclaiming my bed.”

 

When he comes back into his room later that night, the chocolate bar wrapper is crumpled by his bed. There’s also a note, the handwriting nearly illegible. _don’t dangle your feet over the edge and i’ll consider it._

Jongdae makes sure to tuck his feet securely into his blanket that night. He thinks he hears a deep chuckle, but convinces himself into believing it was the wind or something, for his own sanity.

 

Over the next few weeks, Jongdae communicates with the thing under his bed, all through notes. He discovers that it likes chocolate. A lot.

The hand doesn’t make another appearance. He’s slightly disappointed, but he’d probably shit himself if it randomly came out from under his bed again.

 

There’s a week of nothing. The candy bars go uneaten, notes unanswered, and he figures that the thing has moved on.

Until he comes home from classes one day, and finds it chowing down on chocolate bars at the kitchen counter. They make eye contact, Jongdae frozen and terrified, the thing looking very much like a lost puppy.

It’s (he’s?) ridiculously tall, towering over Jongdae, wearing a tattered sweater and slacks. Among a mess of red hair juts two very pointed ears and a swirling pair of ebony horns, glinting in the light of the kitchen. His eyes are black, and his hands are just as creepy as they were all those weeks ago.

What really catches Jongdae’s eyes, though, is the sweeping wings protruding from his back. The pointed, gold tips nearly brush the roof when he stands straight. Gold feathers give way to smooth gray, with the occasional black or gold speckles, which give way to gold once more, thinning until only two wisps touch the floor.

If he hadn’t been so scared, Jongdae would claim it was love at first sight.

 

It’s a few minutes before either breaks the silence. It’s Jongdae, of course, stammering until he can force out, “Are you the thing that’s been hiding under my bed?”

The thing (Demon? At this point, Jongdae’s 99% sure he’s a demon) actually flushes, sheepishly nodding. Jongdae never imagined a demon _blushing_. He looks less intimidating now, with his face close to matching his hair.

“I, uhh, decided to come out. For chocolate. I’m very hungry.”

Had the demon not been blushing, and looking very embarrassed talking about chocolate, Jongdae would say the deep voice was fitting. As it is, the deep voice didn’t seem to match the demons current babyish face.

Jongdae takes a few steps forward. He carefully slips his bag off his shoulder, setting it on the couch. The demon watches him intently, right up until Jongdae slips into a stool across from him at the counter.

He has to be insane. Any sane person would definitely not be sitting down with a very large demon. If he turns violent all of a sudden, Jongdae is certainly dead meat.

He doesn't seem that dangerous, though, and he certainly hasn’t done anything to make Jongdae think otherwise. If anything, he’s been nice to Jongdae, even leaving encouraging notes and work recommendations that had left Jongdae shocked. Plus, he’s very cute. Jongdae has no sense of self preservation when it comes to cute people.

Jongdae decides to take the risk. “So, what’s your name?”

 

Chanyeol the Demon turns out to be a pretty interesting housemate, Jongdae learns.

Now that he’s actually been given permission, he likes to wander around the apartment. It isn’t unusual for Jongdae to come home and see Chanyeol puttering about in the kitchen or napping on the couch.

Jongdae learns that Chanyeol can will away his horns and wings. He’s sad to see the wings go sometimes, because they’re just so beautiful, but Chanyeol seems to be very clumsy and he’s already KOed a few picture frames with his wings.

Jongdae also learns that Chanyeol is the equivalent of an overgrown puppy, despite his rather intimidating appearance. He’s always clinging to Jongdae, seemingly unaware of Jongdae’s heart acting up because he’s just so infatuated.

 

Chanyeol tries to help around the apartment, tries being the keyword.

Yes, he covers the rent, which Jongdae is incredibly grateful for. Jongdae doesn’t even see the bill before it’s paid, Chanyeol always waving him off about it. (He almost asks where Chanyeol gets the money, but then decides that he doesn’t actually want to know.)

However, Chanyeol wasn’t so good at everyday chores.

Once, Jongdae came home to his laundry in shreds. Chanyeol had watched him do it many times, and, confident that it’d be easy, tried to do it himself. Everything was good until it came time to fold them, Chanyeol’s sharp nails tearing through the clothes even when he was being extra careful. He’d looked so upset about it Jongdae couldn’t possibly be mad at him, even if he lost a portion of his closet. Another time, he’d found scratches and small chips in his plates from Chanyeol doing the dishes. At least they weren’t completely destroyed. That had been the final straw for Jongdae, though.

            That night, he sat Chanyeol down and spent ages filing those damned nails until they weren’t as sharp.

 

            One day, a small package arrived. It’s addressed to Chanyeol, sent from a Do Kyungsoo. Jongdae doesn’t recognize the name, but Chanyeol surely does, snatching the box up and beaming.

            “Kyungsoo was the guy who lived here before you,” Chanyeol explains. “He promised he’d send me some of his cookies on his birthday!!”

            It sparks Jongdae’s interest. Just how long has Chanyeol lived here? The most knowledge Jongdae has on demons came from comics and video games, most of which Chanyeol completely defies, but shouldn’t he have some kind of demon duties?

           

            Jongdae waits over a month before he asks. They’re sitting down for dinner, Chanyeol looking excited despite Jongdae only making a pot of ramyun.

            “Why do you hang around here?” The question comes out harsh, which is not what Jongdae wants at all. Chanyeol looks startled by the question, so Jongdae tries again, “I mean, don’t you have like, duties or something to attend to? I don’t know much about demons, but like, I don’t imagine most spend their days among humans.”

It’s silent for a few moments, Chanyeol trying to come up with an answer. When he does speak his voice is low, tense. “I’m not welcome among my kind. A disappointment.”

Jongdae regrets bringing it up. The rest of dinner is silent, Chanyeol picking at his noodles for a bit until he excuses himself, disappearing down the hallway.

He doesn’t come back.

 

At first, Jongdae thinks Chanyeol just needs some space. The topic was obviously not one he’d wanted to discuss, so Jongdae doesn’t blame him. Then week three passes, and nothing. Jongdae’s heart breaks.

Jongdae knows it’s useless to peer under the bed with a flashlight, but he does it anyway, hoping to catch a glimpse of his demon. He’s been aware of his feeling for Chanyeol since he first saw the demon in his kitchen, and now that he’s not here only intensifies Jongdae’s feelings. He just wants to see him again.

There’s a growing collection of candy bars under the bed, all untouched. Jongdae’s tried talking to him, leaving notes. He even slips his small rilakkuma plush down there, because he knows it’s Chanyeol’s favorite. It collects dust.

 

Month two is approaching, and Jongdae almost feels like giving up. Chanyeol’s never been gone this long before, and Jongdae feels hopeless.

Before going to bed, Jongdae lays down on the floor, facing the dark space. He lets out a sigh and, much like many months ago when he’d first discovered Chanyeol, starts running his mouth.

“Chanyeollie, I’m sorry I upset you. Please come back., I miss you so much. It’s very lonely without you here. I won’t ever bring up the demon stuff again, I promise.” Jongdae rambles on. He’s sure that he’s repeated some of the same stuff multiple times, but he’s just so desperate to see Chanyeol again.

He falls asleep early that night, missing the way the shadows flicker and dance around the room.

 

Jongdae wakes up to the sound of feet in the kitchen. His heart pounds, legs wobbly when he throws away the covers and darts up.

He almost cries at the sight that greets him.

Chanyeol’s standing at the oven, looking just like he had when they first met face-to-face. The large expanse of his wings hide what he’s doing, but by the smell Jongdae can tell he’s making cinnamon rolls, his favorite.

He watches for a moment, afraid that he’s just imagining things, but he finally calls out, “Yeollie,”

The larger man startles, looking a mix of embarrassed and guilty when he finally faces Jongdae. He stammers, looking for the words to say.

Any sane person would probably be livid, demanding an explanation or apology of some kind. Jongdae, however, is clearly not a sane person.

He walks right up to Chanyeol, stands on his tiptoes ( _damn height differences_ , he curses internally) and presses his lips against Chanyeol’s. The demon seems to flounder for a second, until his hands rest around Jongdae’s waist and he’s reciprocating the kiss.

Jongdae would much rather do this than force Chanyeol to explain, because Chanyeol’s lips are surprisingly so soft against his, and his large hands feel perfect against his waist.

Neither notice the oven going off. Needless to say, the cinnamon rolls are inedible.  

 

 


End file.
